Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Catch and Release

Concerned about the potential introduction of non-native fungi and insects on ornamental plants, the Washington State Department of Agriculture issued an emergency ruling last Friday, requiring nurseries to hold out-of-state plant material for one business day after notifying the WSDA of the shipment. As reported by the San Juan Islander, the ruling applies only to trees, shrubs and woody vines, and is supported by the nursery industry. The full text of the ruling can be found here (.pdf file).